Colorado Buffaloes' Julian Lewis Opens Up On Quarterback Competition With Kaidon Salter

For about one month, class of 2025 signee Julian "JuJu" Lewis had a fairly clear path to becoming Shedeur Sanders' heir as the Colorado Buffaloes' starting quarterback. Then, Liberty Flames transfer and college football veteran Kaidon Salter entered the picture in mid-December, complicating Lewis' freshman outlook.

Salter threw for nearly 6,000 yards in four seasons at Liberty and is widely considered the favorite to earn coach Deion Sanders' starting quarterback nod. If Lewis can't beat out Salter, the former five-star prospect would benefit from taking a redshirt to preserve his college eligibility.

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) and defensive end Arden Walker (53) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In an interview with USA Today Sports, Lewis was asked about "Coach Prime" adding Salter only one month after he flipped his own commitment from the USC Trojans to Colorado. Credit to the 17-year-old Lewis, he handled the question with maturity while showing his team-first mindset.

“'Coach Prime' runs this like an NFL team,” Lewis told USA Today Sports. “Plus every program in college football is always going to try and get better and have depth at every position. You can’t even prepare for the season without enough QBs on the roster.”

Competition isn't anything new for Lewis, who spent all three years of his Carrollton High School career as the Trojans' starting quarterback. He added that his father, former UConn Huskies offensive lineman T.C. Lewis, always put him in a position to earn his keep throughout his youth football career.

“CU is about development and competition,” Lewis said in the interview. “The only thing I was looking for as a recruit was to be coached by great coaches and have an opportunity to compete as a freshman. I’ve been competing for QB jobs since I was 7. I joined a team at 10 that already had a QB, I competed every day against the guy who was there, and we ended up winning the Battle Youth National Championship that season and I threw 70 touchdown passes.”

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Kaidon Salter (3) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Lewis was also asked about the potential of a two-quarterback system and the possibility of taking a redshirt. He essentially brushed off both questions, stating that he's focused on improving his game and will let "Coach Prime" and offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur decide what's best.

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"It's not about what you were, it's what you will become." #TrustGod #KeepWorking pic.twitter.com/ATxRSzbrX1
— Julian "Ju Ju" Lewis QB (@JulianLewis10) June 4, 2025

"Coach Prime" will likely come to a final decision regarding his starting quarterback during fall camp.

"Ain't nobody care about that because I may change my mind tomorrow," Deion Sanders said following Colorado's spring game on April 19. "What benefits us to name a guy a starter? What does that do for us as a team? Nothing. That may do something for you guys (media), for you guys to talk about, but that don't do nothing for us. It does nothing for us. I'm not doing that. Matter of fact, I don't even know who's going to be that guy right now anyway."